DCCC reaches out to Netroots

With an eye to 2008, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) is off to an early start in fostering its relationship with Netroots, political activists who drum up support for or opposition to candidates and causes online.

The DCCC chairman, Rep. Chris Van Hollen (Md.), has committed to participating in a monthly conference call with bloggers and has talked to several on an individual basis since taking the post earlier this month, a senior DCCC aide said. The DCCC’s executive director, Brian Wolff, also has close ties to Netroots activists.

“I like Rep. Van Hollen. I think his background as the outspent, progressive candidate in a Democratic primary provides him with a valuable perspective that [former DCCC Chairman] Rahm [Emanuel] (Ill.) lacked,” the founder of the liberal mydd.com website, Christopher Bowers, said.

“I think we already see it paying off as there are now strong Netroots and grassroots requirements for frontline candidates,” he added, referring to Van Hollen’s requirement that Democratic candidates build a network of 30,000 e-mail addresses by November 2008.

Democrats must maintain support from the fickle Netroots community to retain their new House majority. Last week, a leading Democratic Party organizer and strategist, Steve Rosenthal, founded the Working for Us PAC. It will raise money for Democrats — including those who challenge incumbent lawmakers — who support a livable wage, workers’ right to organize, improved access to healthcare and Social Security, and sound corporate governance. 

The new outfit criticized Democratic Reps. Albert Wynn (Md.), Ellen Tauscher (Calif.) and Henry Cuellar (Texas) on its website.